Publishing a story is just the start. Following up uncovers what happened next, develops new angles, and maintains the trust of your audience.
Every story you publish creates an implicit promise. You have told your audience that something matters. The follow-up is how you keep that promise – by going back, finding out what happened next, and making sure the facts are not left hanging.
This quick guide is based on the article Why follow-up journalism matters, which we recommend you read before applying the checklist below.
How to plan and execute a follow-up story
- [ ] Ask the key question first: What do we know now that we did not know before? If you cannot answer that, you may not yet have a follow-up.
- [ ] Check your diary: Was a follow-up date flagged in the original story? A council meeting, a court hearing, a deadline given by someone you interviewed? If so, it should already be in your diary.
- [ ] Go back to your sources: Contact everyone who featured in the original story. Ask what has changed. People who declined to comment first time around may now be willing to speak.
- [ ] Look for the consequence: If your original story raised a question, named a problem, or put pressure on an institution, find out whether anything changed as a result. Accountability does not end at publication.
- [ ] Check what others have reported: Have other news organisations followed up the story? If so, what have they found that you have not covered?
- [ ] Listen to your audience: Comments, emails, tip-offs, and phone-in responses can point you towards angles you had not considered. If readers remember the story, they may have something to add.
- [ ] Set up alerts: Use news alert services, saved searches, court listings, planning portals, and company filing pages to track stories that hinge on official decisions or future events.
- [ ] Consider whether nothing has changed: Inaction can be a story in its own right. If a problem was identified and nothing has been done about it, that deserves reporting.
- [ ] Do not just add a paragraph: A genuine follow-up is not a rewrite of the original with one new line at the top. Set out all the new information and link back to the original for context.
- [ ] Ask whether a follow-up is needed at all: Some stories are self-contained. If there is nothing new to say and no public interest served by saying it, move on. But always look for the next step first.
The discipline of following up is not an optional extra. It is part of what separates public service journalism from content that simply fills space. A story that raises questions and is never revisited is a story that has not been finished.
Worth remembering
When you publish a story, you signal that it’s important. A follow-up is proof that you still think so.
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